Dance With The Devil
by YukihanaRei
Summary: When Maki Rin, an accused pirate sentenced to death, crosses paths with the notorious Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law, she strikes a devil's deal to obtain her freedom. However, it's a deal that may prove more than either bargained for. LawxOC
1. Chapter 1: Pride & Imprisonment

**Notes: **Just a few notes, Yukihana Rei does not own One Piece or any of the characters in this story with the exception of the OC's (aka. Maki Rin)

Rated M for violence, language, suggestive themes, and to cover anything that may come up in later chapters.

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**- Chapter 1: Pride & Imprisonment -**

The day had started out much like any other, the crew had been sent to gather supplies and had agreed to meet back at the nearby inn later that afternoon for some drinking and relaxation. It had been few months since they had entered the Grand Line from the North Blue, though even the Captain had to admit the spring weather of Hakun Island was a pleasant change from some of their more recent stopping points. Even Bepo seemed to be enjoying the cooler change of pace from the sub and was sticking close, carrying the Captain's nodachi over his shoulder, just in case they ran into trouble.

If what Law had heard was right, then there was a small Marine base next door to the town, so despite the weather and the general friendliness of the town, the Surgeon of Death had no intention of sticking around here long. Perhaps, the smart thing to do probably would have been to avoid the Marines all together, but the Grand Line hadn't left them very many options. Every ship started on one of the seven islands and from there, was forced to follow a particular route until it ended at that Red Line, the halfway mark of the Grand Line. Besides, where was the fun in slinking around? The crew needed to resupply and a break from the monotony was always a good thing. Perhaps they'd even get lucky and find something interesting to occupy their time while they waited for the Log Pose to reset. After all, it wouldn't be the first the Heart Pirates had stirred up a little trouble.

As he gathered the last of the medical supplies they'd come to stock up on, Law was just about to head for the inn, when he'd glanced over his shoulder. Bepo was standing behind him, but instead his focus seemed to diverted to something further down the street. "Something wrong, Bepo?" He questioned, following his first mate's gaze a little ways down the street towards what appeared to be the town square, though something about it seemed strangely vacant with the exception of several marines which were flanked out around some kind of dark iron work and the citizens who clung to the edges of the street corners looking on from a distance.

Bepo's attention quickly reverted to his Captain before pointed down the street in confusion. "I think somethings going on..." He admitted somewhat hesitantly, but seemed to realize how strange the growing crowd of onlookers was. Not that the Captain could blame him, though the more Law watched the more curious he became about what was not only so fascinating, but the strange construction. The Marines had a habit of building weird stuff, but this had to be the first time he'd ever seen something like this. With a quick motion of the hand, Law ordered Bepo to stay close and follow him as they neared the scene cautiously, curious as to what all the fuss was about.

A few citizens looked on with great fascination at the free-stand structure, the thick iron bars resembling something similar to a jail cell or a cage of some sort. However, it seemed odd that they would place something like that in the town square. "Oi, what's going on?" Law asked one of the locals that seemed to be watching with that same overly curious skepticism.

The man appeared to be in his late forties or so, with a short gray beard and wearing a white apron over his clothes as he lingered next to the door of the butcher shop. "Oh, you haven't heard?" The stout man replied with a cheerful grin. "About a week ago, the Marines arrested some pirate in this town. Although, from the looks of it though, seems they're going to execute her soon." He explained, though didn't appear to concerned over the matter.

"Her?..." Law repeated as a brow arched curiously, so it was a female pirate. "What makes you so sure the outcomes going to be an execution?" The Captain questioned in a steady tone, rather intrigued by the whole notion that it seemed so obvious, even to a civilian. Then again,... Now that he thought about, ever since their arrival, they really hadn't seen to many other pirates. It had been more than a little peculiar, especially considering they were in the Grand Line.

"Simple, because Captain Rikard, the man over the nearby base, has a very 'unique' method of dealing with criminals." The old butcher explained solemnly. "That cell was built to hold those that have been accused of crimes worthy of execution, especially piracy. Once there, they're deprived of food or water in an attempt to either extract a confession or obtain information in exchange for leniency. In most cases, a person can go mad in that and it serves as a warning to the others. It's not the prettiest method, but considering what this town was like before, it's not to surprising the Marines give Rikard such a long leash." His words tapered off, as he lit up a cigarette and allowed his eyes to return towards the square, though showed little remorse or empathy over the matter.

Law allowed a faint noise to escape him to show he understood, but said little else. It was obvious that what they were looking at was simply another scare tactic, order obtained through fear. The Marines had been using it for centuries now, publicly executing criminals and pirates. However, openly demonstrating the torture and psychological break down of someone condemned to death, that was a new one, even by Marine standards. Guess that explained why the pirates were so sparse on this island, those that weren't dead had probably left to avoid facing the same fate. Of course, the Marines were all about results and as long an officer kept up the appearance of order in the town, he was probably free to do as he pleased with both the town and it's criminals, whether they were actually guilty of such crimes or not. That could be an unsettling thought, considering the prospects of winding up on the bad side of one person, could very easily end you up on the gallows.

His storm gray eyes soon shifted back to the cage. Sure enough, it was a long way from empty, though he might have almost overlooked the sight for the simple reason that what was standing there was not your typical idea of a pirate. Instead, it was a young woman, and a rather small one at that, who didn't appear to be any older than her late teens. The fact that she was dressed in black jeans and boots, with a dark red top covered by a long black coat that flared out at the bottom and fell to about her knees in length, only seemed to make her blend into the shadows cast in the cage by the noonday sun even more. Fair skinned, her features seemed to contrast against the dark-brown hair that appeared almost black, and that had been tied back by a single white ribbon. Her eyes were closed, which at first, made her appear to be sleeping. Her back was leaning lazily against the bars, one foot was propped up, allowing a slight bend to the knee. The chains from her wrist shackles could be seen hanging loosely in front of her chest, showing little signs of life, even as the Marine closest to the cage was reading aloud some list of charges that she had apparently done or committed for everyone to hear.

Now, normally, being read your rights was something most people would have been keen to hear, especially considering this islands reputation and habits of dealing with the criminals. However, the young woman seemed so disinterested in the little spectacle, that she had simply opted to take a nap instead. "Hey! Are you even paying attention?" The Marine Captain suddenly barked, apparently not to fond of being ignored.

It was at that moment, the girl finally opened a single honey colored eye, glancing up at the Marine with some level of general annoyance for the disturbance. "You got a point to all this or have the Marine's decided to adopt a habit of boring their prisoners to death?" She questioned back, just as straight faced as one could imagine.

The Marine Captain that stood there, looked to be in his thirties with a muscular build, his blonde hair slicked back and seemed almost unusual against the rich, dark tan. A long white scar could be seen over his left eye, as his dark brown eyes stared down in annoyance at the young woman, who was about a foot shorter than himself. Confidently, he moved forward until he was standing next to the cage, making his height and muscular structure all the more apparent in comparison to the so-called pirate.

"The point is - your being charged with assault on a Marine Officer and conspiracy to commit Piracy, both of which are punishable by means of public execution. However, provided your willing to cooperate, we might could afford to be more lenient." The Marine explained with a cool smirk, as the young woman's gaze lifted and narrowed on him threatening. "You may not have realized it yet, sweetheart, but your not in the best position to be giving me the cold shoulder. Do you really want to die to protect something as insignificant as your pride?" He questioned calmly, as though the solution was the most obvious thing.

Growing quiet for a moment, the young woman soon pushed herself up from the bars on which she was leaning, allowing a steady sigh to escape her as she started forward toward the side where the Marine was standing. "I keep telling you - I'm not, nor have I ever been a pirate." She answered, her tone loosing it's razor edge to something more civil, somewhat softer and steady. "But I suppose, that's not really what this is about, is it?" The young woman asked, lifting a hand to rest it on the Marine's chest with a smile that seemed to give some air of flirtation.

"Maybe your right, it isn't the smartest thing..." The Marine's smirk widened at the girl's words as his victory now seemed more apparent than ever, especially as the long slender fingers that peaked out from the black fingerless gloves coiled their way around his blue tie. With a small tug that clattered the chains on her shackles, she drew him closer and his face downward toward her lips, pulling him so close that there was barely any space in between now. It seemed an all to intimate moment,... at least until the devilish smirk flashed across her face and her knee shot upward, slamming hard into his crotch.

Almost everyone watching from the Marine's subordinates to the civilian's jaws dropped as the once proud Marine Captain's face contorted in agony. "C-Captain Rikard!" His subordinates shouted in unison, though the realization was a little to late. With a hard thrust outward, the accused pitate pushed the man backwards, releasing his tie and allowing him to fall into a crumpled state onto the cobblestone square.

A soft chuckle suddenly emanated from the cage, as the young woman simply shook her head at the pathetic sight. "It's not the smartest thing I've ever done, Captain, but it is the only option I can live with, no matter how short that time may be." The young woman explained, the proud smile on her face seeming to take amusement from watching his subordinates attempts to get him back to his feet. "Those charges are false and you know it, I'm not about to bow my head to a man that isn't even my equal and sure as hell, not to you. Besides, I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees like a dog." She added with a smirk, in a matter of fact tone.

"Y-You... Bitch..." The Marine Captain managed to wheeze in pain as he pushed his way upright once more.

Moving to the middle of the cage and pushing the long end of the coat out of the way, the young woman soon dropped into a cross-legged sitting position, still facing the Marines with a subtle smirk. "Oh, and Captain, a word of advice... Should you ever make the mistake of calling me 'sweetheart' again, I will personally shove my foot so far up your ass, not even Gold Roger could find it." She called out in warning, those golden eyes smiling mischievously as the Marine let out a huff in agitation.

"And here I was considering being lenient on you, because you were a woman. It seems you've left me no choice." Rikard hissed back at the woman with icy glare, before turning back towards his men and the onlookers. "The accused pirate, known as Maki Rin, has refused to cooperate and having been found guilty of crimes against the World Government, is scheduled to be executed tomorrow at dawn." He announced clearly for all to hear, though the effect was enough make a few onlookers cringe, the pirate behind him showed little reaction.

Turning back towards her with a smirk as he straightened his tie, the only change he noted was the fact that her features had fallen into something far more calm and unreadable. "Guess we'll get to see how sharp your mouth can be when your looking down from the gallows." The Marine called back with a knowing smile, as his subordinate picked up the pace behind him. "Post guards around the perimeter. I don't want anyone getting within arms length of that cell until tomorrow morning, do I make myself clear? No more funny business." He explained seriously, as the young man nodded in understanding.

"Yes, sir!" He answered, offering a salute as the Captain walked... Well, that wasn't the exact term. Limped would have more appropriate to describe the saunter as the Marine made his way back towards his office.

Meanwhile, as the Captain faded into the distance, the onlookers quickly began to disperse, probably assuming the show was over. However, there was one observer that lingered, just long enough to catch the small fox-like grin that momentarily slipped onto the young woman's face. It was almost strangely inappropriate considering what had just happened and an act that truly intrigued the North Blue Captain.

"Oi, Bepo?" Law spoke up, glancing over at his first mate, who quickly turned his attention downward. "Let's head back to the Inn." He stated simply, though the bear offered no argument, as they walked he seemed to pick up on the subtle smirk of amusement that rested on his face.

"Captain?" He questioned curiously, allowing the words to linger in the air a moment.

"I think this town just became a lot more interesting." The pirate explained with a knowing smile, as the polar bear continued to look on with some bit of confusion.

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"EHHHH?" The crew screeched in shock, staring across the table in shock at their Captain, who was now lounging back comfortable against the crimson cushions that lined the booth, wearing a familiar smirk.

"Captain, you can't be serious? Breaking out a condemned prison on an island controlled by the Marines, that's got to be suicide." Shachi finally managed to stammer, apparently the first to actually vocalize what ever member of the crew seemed to be thinking after hearing his plans. Although, he was careful to keep his voice down, not wanting any of the other patrons or locals to get wind of what they were discussing, due to the gravity of the subject.

"I'm being perfectly serious." He answered straightly, already having explained what they had witnessed earlier in the day and his most recent scheme.

"So, you want us to initiate a fight with the Marines, just to break out one woman?... No offense, but aren't they're other ways to find girls on an island?" Penguin informed him seriously, still in something of a shock. Law could be reckless at times, but nothing like this.

Law's brow furrow silencing the crew, apparently having already made up his mind on the matter. "This has nothing to do with her gender. However, if I'm correct, then she may prove rather useful in obtaining what we want." Law explained calmly, earning a few curious looks from the crew at just how confident he seemed about this mysterious woman.

"What makes you so sure?" One of the crew chimed in, though many of them seemed to have some uncertainty, there was no point in fighting it once the Captain had made up his mind. Of course, everyone had already learned first hand that Law had an innate ability to figure out what made a person tick, whether it was physically or mentally. Which seemed to only further the rest of the crew's curiosity as to why the Captain seemed so adamant about breaking out one condemned criminal.

The pirate's smirk only widened as he reached over to Bepo, who quickly handed him what appeared to be a book of some sort. Dark brown leather encased it, appearing worn by time and experience, with various pages and faded papers crammed into it messily. Sliding onto the table where everyone could see it, the fact that they were looking at someone's journal became more apparent. A few brows raised at the gold buckle clasp seemed faded by time, but it was the circular design on the front that was the biggest curiosity. Pressed into the leather to form what appeared to be the image of moon, obscured and shrouded by what appeared to be either clouds or mist.

"I happened to run across that in her room. As luck would have it, she was staying here at the inn prior to her arrest and I was able to convince the owner to let me look around." Law answered, though no one dared asked how he managed to connive his way into the girl's room. Chances were he had either lied, or worse, threatened them to get the key, because Law had never been the person that took 'no' for an answer.

"It contains not only sea charts of the Grand Line, but notes and information on the New World. It's also not the only interesting item she happened to be carrying with her." He informed them, though the crew immediately seemed to catch on to where he was going with this. Most people didn't carry around that kind of information and the book alone was incredibly valuable, especially for a pirate. However, if that book really belonged to her and it was one of various useful items, then the Marines hadn't simply arrested your average run-of-the-mill pirate. If nothing else, she was someone with a knowledge and ability to obtain such treasures and that talent was certainly tempting to anyone with dreams of sailing the Grand Line.

Shachi, like the rest of the crew, was still looking on in amazement. No one could ever say the Captain didn't have his moments, but something still seemed to elude him. "So, how are you going to break her out of that holding cell? You said, we only have till dawn tomorrow. That means we have to act tonight, right? Isn't that going to be cutting it a little close to when the Log Pose is suppose to reset?" He questioned, though the notion soon earned a curious chuckle out of the Captain, which immediately raised a few eyebrows.

Leaning forward and laced his fingers calmly in thought, a knowing smile could be seen on the Captain's face. "I have a few ideas..." The all perked up, ready to listen to and all to aware that they were in store for a very eventful evening, especially if Trafalgar Law had any say in the matter.


	2. Chapter 2: I Swear, The Fatal Promise

**Author's Notes:  
**Apologies for the delay, I ended up rewriting this chapter a few times and it ended up more than twice as long as the last. So much happens in this chapter, hope you enjoy it. Thank you to all those who read, favorited, and reviewed my story. I really appreciate it and look forward to writing the next chapters which should be up soon.

By the way, YukihanaRei does not own One Piece or any of the character in this story, with the exception of the OC, Maki Rin. Please support the official release. Warning: Rated M for swearing, suggestive themes, violence, action, and anything that may come up in later chapters.

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**- Chapter 2: I Swear, The Fatal Promise! -**

The sky had grown dark some hours ago, though the _prisoner_ had been largely placated following her earlier mischief. It was funny how one act of kicking a man in the family jewels could send such a staggering message to his subordinates. The guards had chosen to keep their distance from Rin and, likewise the cell, though the low series of growls that continued to echo from her stomach were rather hard to miss, shamefully. "Pipe down, you!" One of the young Marines snapped at her in annoyance, the constant complaining only making an already uneventful evening all the more bothersome.

It was a statement that quickly caused Rin's gold eyes to flicker upward at the man with a cold look. "It's been two days, since my last meal. What do you expect?" She shot back in retort, in no mood to be scolded by some common grunt. The fact that hunger pains made dozing difficult only served to worsen her already foul mood. Honestly, it wasn't like she'd chosen to get arrested. If she'd have had her way about all this, Rin would have been back at the inn, enjoying a hot dinner and comfortable bed. Instead, she was lying on a cold, metal floor with shackles on her wrists and ankles, watching for any patterns the guards might have exhibited that she could exploit in her attempts to break out of this blasted cage.

_Wonderful, just freaking wonderful!~_ A heavy sigh escaped the young woman as she pondered back to just how she'd managed to end up in this mess to begin with. Oh, that's right. Rin had left her weapons back in her room, in some vain attempt not to attract attention from the locals. The trick had worked fine, until a certain Marine Captain had showed up and the pompous jerk had put his hands where they didn't belong. Now Rin was normally a civil person, but there were just some things a girl couldn't tolerate and he had crossed the line by not accepted her refusal to get to know him better. Long story short, she had ended up clocking the Marine and humiliating him in front of everyone at the inn, including some of his subordinates. Guess it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise when they'd decided to arrest her for assault and a few other trumped up charges.

Of course, Rin would have been lying to say that she regretted her actions. If one reaped what they sowed, then the slime-ball Marine had got exactly what he deserved. Still, _piracy_! That was the last thing she had ever expected to be charged with. Sure, Rin was no saint and never claimed to be. She'd committed more than a few questionable acts in the name of survival over the years, some that she wasn't necessarily proud of. Maybe she had caused quite a bit of property damage and yes, she had technically assaulted the man in self-defense. However, to be labeled some sea-running scoundrel?... Ugh, she was only glad her grandfather had never lived to see this day or he would have been turning over in his grave right about now.

The only real reprieve in all this, was that the Marine hadn't managed to get their grubby hands on what few worldly possessions that Rin still had to her name. In particular, the most important, her weapons and journal. They were tucked away safely and waiting for her back at the inn, so there was no need to steal them back. All Rin had to do was break out, which sounded so much simpler in her mind. Slipping a hand into her coat pocket silently, Rin allowed her finger to graze over the iron ring of keys that rested in one of the hidden compartments of the coat, a simple attempt to calm her nerves as she stared out across the dark, misty streets.

As it stood, there were only two options of escape; create a distraction or wait for the guards to fall asleep. The first was next to impossible, since there was more than one Marine keeping watch and Rin couldn't do much trapped behind thick iron bars. That left option number two, which meant having to wait until the guards were either asleep or had grown complacent enough not to realize what she was doing. Sadly, such plans required a great deal of luck and time, something Rin was desperately short on at the moment. If this had been any other prison or cell, she could have simply waited out her captors until the chance presented itself, but with only six hours until dawn, desperation was starting to set in.

Maybe Rikard was right, maybe her devil's luck had finally run out. One would think she would be accustomed to the feeling by now, considering how many times she'd stood so close to death's door, but something continued to tug at the back of her mind. Perhaps it was a greater instinct to survive or a hatred that burned at her core that seemed to recall an old ache in the scars that lingered beneath her shirt. No, she couldn't afford to die just yet. There was to much left unfinished and there was something she still had to do. Come hell or high water, she was getting out of this cell and off this accursed island.

"Halt! Show yourself!" One of the Marines suddenly shouted, raising their gun defensively. Rin's gaze instantly jerked up in curiosity. At first, she'd almost expected to see some stray cat that had ventured out from the alleyway or some drunken bum that had wandered out from one of the local bars. However, what appeared beneath the flickering glow of the street lamp some yards away was something so strange, that even Rin had started to question her sanity. Now she'd been in the Grand Line long enough to see her fair share of the unusual and the bizarre, but this... This took the cake!

"B-Bear?" Rin managed to hear the Marine closest murmur in confusion. Yes, what stood there was a white bear, dressed in an orange jumpsuit.

Blinking a few times to clear her vision, Rin sat there in stunned silence as the creature stood there hesitantly. At first, she'd assumed she was hallucinating. After all, it was widely known that those condemned to death and under intense psychological stress could experience strange symptoms, such as seeing things that weren't there. It would have been easy enough to explain, but considering the guards could also see the beast, it seemed to rule out that theory.

The creature must have heard them though, and immediately dropped it's head in a depressed manner. "S-sorry." He suddenly spoke in low tone, causing Rin's jaw to drop slightly as the Marine's gawked. It was then that something hissed at the creature from the shadows, but Rin had barely noticed the noise and couldn't make out exactly what was said. Whatever it was, it seemed to snap the bear out of his gloomy state as he nodded and did something even more unbelievable.

Drawing up into a fighting pose, the white bear let out a strange noise and lifted one leg, while it's hands... Er, paws were held about it's head in a display that reminded Rin of something she'd seen in a combat manual once. Then, without warning, the bear suddenly launched himself forward in a burst of speed, catching one of the Marines nearest him in jaw. The strike was hard enough to send the man recoiling backwards, before colliding with the hard surface of the streets, where he managed to skid to a rather painful halt.

"Lieutenant!" One of the men yelped, quickly rushing over to the man to help him back to his feet and to check on the now very dazed officer.

After a moment, the Marine finally managed to shake off his shock and stagger back up to his feet, though he did not look happy about the matter. Whipping back around to his subordinates, it was evident that man was upset as he pointed towards the bear. "Don't just stand there, you fools. Arrest that bear!" The man snapped in order.

Well, the sight confirmed one thing. The bear was indeed real and on top of that, he could throw one hell of a round house kick. Normally, Rin might have found the entire scene bloody hilarious, considering the Marine had just had his tail handed to him by something so adorably fuzzy, but uncertain of what she was witnessing, she instead found herself in silence. Once the order to pursue was given, the bear subsequently threw his arms up, as though in fright, turned on his heel and began to flee with the Marines in pursuit. They quickly chased him into one of the near by alleyways, intent on apprehending the furry offenders at any cost, disappearing into the darkness.

The evening fell strangely quiet once more as Rin sat there shocked, bewildered and extremely confused over what had just taken place. No one was ever going to believe this and truthfully, despite having witnessed it, she wasn't sure she could blame them. The realization soon hit her though, that the chance she'd been waiting for had finally come. While the guards were busy chasing some talking bear around the city, she intended to get the heck out of here.

Digging into the inner pocket of her coat, Rin snatched out the key ring that she had swiped from the Marine during her earlier display. Yes, that's right. Her actions earlier had not been merely for show. Like many Marines, Rikard was a man of order and had a very keen habit of storing important items in obvious locations, like the pockets of his coat, something Rin had learned during her interrogation. It was a common human trait and made remembering much easier. However, as a thief, Rin had learned very early on that a smart person could easily exploit such tendencies. Under normal circumstances, she was loathed to flirt with a man, who was hands down a perverted pig, but the distraction had worked well enough. While Rikard had been watching her face and felt one hand on his chest, he'd failed to notice the other slipping the keys from his pocket.

Of course, after being humiliated and completely infuriated at Rin, the Captain hadn't even bothered to check his belongings for any funny business that might have occurred. So bold and unapologetic was the young woman's display, that he had never questioned her intentions or considered she might have had an ulterior motive. Like so many before him, Rikard had greatly underestimated his enemy and he was about to learn how big a mistake that could be. Without cause or use for the keys, until tomorrow morning, the Captain probably hadn't realized they were missing and likely wouldn't catch on until it was time to come fetch her for the execution. Shame, she was going to miss seeing the look on his face when he learned the truth of being swindled, and by a common criminal, no less.

A satisfied smile played on Rin's features as she'd hopped up onto her feet, flipping through the keys and leaning down to unlock the ankle cuffs. It took only a few tries, before she found the correct one and soon they fell open without resistance. A short kick to the side was all it took to knock them away, allowing her to move unabated towards the cell door, keys in hand and ready to free herself from these wretched confines permanently.

"That's quite an interesting talent, Miss Maki. I never took you for a thief, but then again, I suppose neither did Mister Marine Captain." A calm voice suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence that had surrounded the square and causing Rin's blood to suddenly run cold. She might have let a curse slip, but Rin found herself attempting to force her heart out of her throat, from where it had lodged itself in fright at the realization that she was no longer alone. Of course, calling this situation bad, probably would have been an understatement. Not only was Rin in the process of attempting to escape her confines, the young woman was now standing there, red-handed with a set of stolen keys pocketed from a Marine Captain. Her mind immediately began recalling the worst possible scenarios, but she was almost certain that she'd witnessed all four guards go after the bear. So then, who exactly...

Rin swallowed back her fear, slowly glancing over her shoulder after a few moments, to the source of the voice. Sure enough, standing there rather casually next to the left corner of the cell was what appeared to be a young man, not much older than herself. He was dressed in spotted blue jeans and a yellow hooded-shirt with black on the sleeves and hood. In the center of his shirt was what appeared to be a curious black symbol, but she didn't recognize it as being familiar. Meanwhile, a nodachi was resting against his right shoulder, while his other hand was pressed into the pocket of the jeans, as though he'd simply been taking some midnight stroll. The shimmer of gold from a pair of loop earrings in each ear, seemed to glitter in the low light, though Rin couldn't make out anything more than a cool smirk on his face as he stood there. A furry, white hat with brown spots sat on his head, the brim managing to shadow his eyes in a mysterious fashion, though Rin couldn't stop herself from wondering just how long the stranger had been standing there or how he had been able to get so close without her noticing, for that matter.

One thing was certain though, he wasn't a Marine. That was some cause for relief, but she couldn't shake that there was something unsettling about the tall, dark stranger. "This night just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Rin murmured softly to herself, pushing away a few bangs from her vision as she let out a sigh. "Something I can help you with?" Rin decided to ask, as she returned her attention to the keys and her attempts to find the one that matched the wrist shackles.

"Actually, there is..." Law began in his normal steady tone, watching as she continued to fiddle with keys. "I want you to join my crew." He explained in simple terms, not bothering to elaborate on the matter.

It took a few moments for the request to sink in on the distracted prisoner, though once it did, all movements with the cuffs seemed to cease as those honey colored eyes suddenly flickered up to the young man in surprise. "You can't be serious?" She questioned skeptically, somewhat taken back at the boldness of the request. She had never met this man before and yet, here was he asking her to join some crew and follow him to god-knows-where.

"I'm afraid I'm quite serious, Miss Maki." He retorted steadily with an amused smile, especially as he noticed her eyes sweep down to his shirt once more. Apparently, Rin was starting to connect the dots, including the crew's Jolly Roger on the front of his shirt.

"A pirate crew? And by_ your_ crew, I'm guessing that would make you the Captain?" Rin continued hesitantly, rather uncertain on the whole matter. Was this suppose to be some kind of mean-spirited joke, played on someone who had only hours to live, or was the man truly insane?

"That I am." Law answered confidently, noticing that the young woman seemed more skeptical than surprised by the news. Rather, Rin seemed to be taking the whole matter in stride. Then again, perhaps it was probably expected that someone with talent as a thief was highly adaptable and this was the same woman, who had smiled at the announcement of her own execution. Guess he could see why now, since she intended to split before then.

"I see..." Rin pondered aloud, watching him only for a brief moment more, before returning her attention to cuffs on her wrists. She wished that she could have been more surprised by the news, but there was something about the Captain's aura that wasn't exactly normal and could have almost been considered unsettling. However, it did explain a few things. For starters, why he, unlike the rest of this town, wasn't avoiding this cell and her like the plague, for fear of incurring Rikard's wrath. It was actually amusing to think there was some else in this town that had a backbone and was willing to stand up to the Marines. Unfortunately, Rin was on borrowed time and couldn't really afford to stand around chit-chatting with a complete stranger.

It took only a few seconds more, before the wrist cuffs were finally off and Rin quickly tossed them aside. Lacing her arms through the bars lazily, she began searching the keys once more, trying to find the correct one to open the door. However, for someone who had managed to sneak up on her, the fact that he had not moved from where he was now leaning casually on the bars was becoming harder to ignore and so Rin decided to continue where they had left off.

"Look, I hate to break this to you, but I'm afraid I can't accept your offer. I don't know what you've heard about me from this town, however, despite the charges I have not, nor have I ever a been, a pirate." Rin explained simply, hoping to impress upon him what was a clear lack of experience. This was the Grand Line, after all, and the last thing most people wanted on their crew was someone unsuited or that would be dead weight. Not that Rin was without her own set of survival skills, but there more important matters to think about. Issues like, the ability to tolerate others and a willingness to take orders, all traits that while present in some, were somewhat lacking in Miss Maki.

A faint noise managed to catch her ears, what sounded like a faint chuff in amusement. Rin tried not look up, but for some reason, found her eyes glancing up at the man curious to notice the knowing smirk that lingered there. "Doesn't mean you can't start somewhere. Besides, you did something to end up in here?" Law recalled calmly, not about to buy that fib for a second. There was dumb luck and then there was stealing from the Marines, an act that even many pirates were wary to commit.

Rin winced slightly at the comment, shooting the man a slight look of annoyance, before a forced smile in amusement returned to her face. "I punched a guy for grabbing my butt in a bar. That may make me a hell-raiser, but aside from wounding a few egos, I think _pirate_ might be stretching what I am." She retorted sarcastically. No sooner had she done so, than a sudden 'clank' rang out and earned a proud smirk in a steady push of the hand, the heavy metal door swung open and Rin didn't hesitate to hop out onto the cobblestone streets. The sense of freedom washed over her once more, earning a cat-like stretch in sweet relief and silent victory before being interrupted once more.

"Perhaps not, but the last time I checked, escaping execution and stealing from the Marines, are no small crimes, Miss Maki." He answered knowingly with a smile, watching as Rin glanced over her shoulder at him, before finally moving to turn and face him silently. Law couldn't help think that the woman almost seemed to be studying him, as though trying to visibly discern what kind of angle he had for bothering her. Guess she wasn't the most trusting sort, that much seemed apparent.

"Look here, _Captain_." Rin began a bit more determined, using the man's title, though not necessarily out of respect. "Even if I had any ambition to be a pirate, why in the Grand Line would I join you? I don't even know your name or for that matter, the first thing about you." Rin was quick to point out, only one of many obvious problems with this whole scenario.

"Trafalgar Law." The Captain answered, with a faint smile as Rin suddenly seemed to hesitate in confusion.

"Huh?" She questioned, somewhat puzzled by the interjection.

"My name." He explained simply, as though the matter should have been obvious.

Rin's brow furrowed slightly in annoyance, suddenly recalling her previous words. "That's not what I meant." Rin countered in dismay. "It still doesn't change the facts." She explained, raising a hand to the bridge of her nose in frustration. Honestly, she heard of persistent men, but for heaven's sake, this one didn't know when to quick. It was like arguing with a brick wall, an annoyingly cheeky and very sarcastic, brick wall. Then again, as Rin continued to ponder over his words, the more familiar that name seemed to be. Where had she heard it before?

"Scared, Miss Maki?" Law inserted with a sly smile.

Those gold eyes quickly shot up in irritation, the notion alone enough to stir the proud thief. "Of what? You - as if! I'm not scared of anyone and certainly not a rum-running, bottom-feeding pirate." Rin retorted without an ounce of hesitation, letting out a faint snort in disbelief that anyone would even suggest such a thing.

The Captain's smile widened just a bit in amusement at the answered, surprised to see such a quick temper. She had guts, he would give her that and it was making this whole thing all the more entertaining. "So then, why don't you just accept my offer?" Law questioned curiously, removing the core of any excuses Rin could have come up with.

"Why do you have to be so persistent?" She shot back in retort, trying to stay calm, but the pirate was beginning to get on her nerves. Honestly! Most people could take a hint. However, Law seemed to be making pretty clear that he had no intention of letting this go until he got the answer he wanted, an answer Rin had no desire to give. Besides, it made no sense. If one person was as good as another, then he could have found more than a dozen men on this island that would have gladly followed him to sea, yet he was asking a woman. There was nothing special about her, nothing noteworthy or necessary, so what was so important? If reason was the source of action, what did he want from her that he couldn't get from anyone else?

After a few moments of staring at the man in cold silence, Rin found herself shaking her head in annoyance. "Oi! Law, tell me something... What are you chasing so hard? You wasted a lot of effort on some nameless wanderer, so why don't you enlighten me on what it is your really after?" Rin finally asked, carefully studying his features. She had been on her own long enough now to know that everyone had an angle, even pirates. The Captain was taking a risk being here, which meant the importance of the matter couldn't be cheap.

"Isn't it obvious?" Law questioned calmly with a smirk, taking a few steps forward until he was standing a foot or so away from the girl. Rin only came to about his sternum in height, so subtly reached with a few finger to catch her beneath the chin, tilting her head upward and forcing her to look him in the eyes.

Rin's gaze had dropped to the side stubbornly as Law had approached, so it wasn't until the sensation of what he was doing hit her that the surprise had set in. Normally, she might have struggled or knocked his hand away, but before she could think to do anything, Rin's eyes locked onto his in stunned silence.

Dark circles could be seen lingering under his eyes, but it was the color that seemed to captivate her more than she cared to admit. A deep, storm colored hue that seemed to echo a presence that seemed to recalled a feeling Rin had once experienced as a child. She'd been little more than seven or eight at the time, standing on the rocky shores of the beach, watching the ringed bands of cloud that signaled an approaching hurricane in the distance. The sense of awe and power, the frailty of one's existences, all the feelings of days passed seemed to rush back to her in those moments as she'd noted Law's confident smile.

"Because I'm the man whose going to find One Piece and take the throne as Pirate King." The pirate explained in a quiet tone, a sensation washing over Rin that nearly sent a chill down her spine. Now, this was not the first time Rin had ever heard someone make such a claim, but what he was planning was something many would call reckless, maybe even impossible. Yet, despite knowing this, he never flinched, never hesitated or bothered to break his gaze, so completely confident in his goals that the woman who almost always had something to say, found herself utterly speechless in his presence.

"Besides, I think we both know your not some average wanderer, Miss Maki." Law added coolly with a knowing smile, as the girl's eyes widened in sudden realization at the reference.

"Captain!" A voice suddenly cut through her thoughts, as Rin suddenly remembered how close Law was standing and immediately pulled away from him. Her gaze jerked around to the sight of two men racing towards the square in white jumpsuits, along with a rather familiar looking white bear. "Wait, isn't that-" Rin was about to stammer in surprise, before catching sight of what it was they were running from.

Several yards behind them was a group of about a dozen or so Marines, armed to the teeth. "Shit!" Rin cursed under her breath, before the cocking of several rifles echoed from the nearby street. Glancing over her shoulder, it was suddenly evident that they were surrounded, with the Marine using the opening of the streets to form a square perimeter to prevent an escape. Damn it, to think she'd been so distracted by her conversation with Law she hadn't even noticed the Marines had outflanked them. She was normally never that careless, but maybe the lack of sleep had finally caught up to her.

"I wouldn't make any sudden movements, if I were you." A familiar voice spoke up confidently. At the northern end of the streets, standing off the side of a line of soldiers, was the Marine Captain, a cigarette hanging from his lip confidently.

"Rikard." She'd hissed coldly, her hand instinctively dropping her waist, only to remember that she wasn't wearing her weapons.

A confident smirk flashed across his face. "Should have known you were to much trouble to be running solo, but to think you were in league with the 'Surgeon of Death', now that is a surprise." He spoke with a twisted smile, stopping his advance only once he was standing across from Law and Rin, the latter of whom now found herself behind Law almost defensively.

It was the epitaph, however, that sudden made everything click for Rin. Her eyes widened in disbelief, glancing over at Law in surprise, searching his features for some kind of an answer, but only managing to note that his once calm smirk had suddenly faded into something more serious.

"So, you know my name?" Law questioned steadily, the brim of his hat shadowing his face once more.

"It's not very often that we get many pirates with a bounty of a hundred million beli on this island. You know, normally, the prospect of seeing you meet your demise in front of the public would be irresistible, but as Miss Maki has already proven, your simply to dangerous to waste time with formalities. I guess, I'll just have to content myself with displaying your corpses." Rikard explained with a disappointed shrug, raising a hand in signal. Once he'd done so, the first line of Marines next to him dropped to one knee, raising their guns as the second line stood, rifles at the ready to fire on command.

Surrounded and corned, one didn't have to be genius to recognize the image of a firing squad when you saw one. Without a weapon and no means of escapes, the finality was hard to miss as Rikard's intent to massacre them without a second thought seemed apparent. _No,... This can't be how I'm suppose to die_. Clenching her jaw tightly, Rin struggled to push away the fear that threatened to well up in her chest. This was it. She was really going to...to...

"You know, you never gave me answer to my offer, Miss Maki." Law suddenly spoke in the same casual manner. It immediately earned him a look as her gold eyes flicker up to him in confusion. _Offer?_ Was he still going on about that? They were about to die, and that was the only thing he could think of. Jeez, that confirmed it, he really was insane.

The cocking of the rifles echoed in her ears as Rin found her resolve wavering in those moments. This was so messed up! As prideful as Rin could be, the only thing that continued to replay through her mind was what she'd failed to do and had yet to accomplish, and she hated herself for so, she found her gaze wandering over to Law silently as he stood there, completely unphased by what was about to take place. Logic said it was crazy to think there was any way out this time, let alone the answer might actually come from a pirate. However, if there was even the slightest chance, maybe it was worth swallowing her breath just this once and trusting someone, even if it meant taking on that accursed title.

"Ready~" The Marines words echoed in the background.

"Law,... Alright. If you can get us out of this, I swear I'll follow you wherever you want - hell and back, if necessary." Rin explained, unable to hide the faint desperation in her voice. She had probably lost her mind, but there seemed no point in being stubborn or arguing about the matter now. Chances were, they wouldn't live to see tomorrow. However, if any hope existed, Rin would have made a deal with the devil, if it meant living past this night.

A devilish smirk in satisfaction appeared on Law's face once more at her words. "That's not a bad an offer. I intend to hold you to that, Miss Maki." The Captain warned calmly, as Rin passed him a curious glance.

_"Aim!~"_

Ignoring her for the most part and returning his attention to the Marines, Law's left hand raised as he uttered one simple word. "Room!" No sooner had he spoken, than a blue spherical dome sprung up from the ground, encompassing the square around them and the edges of the adjoining streets, where the Marines were knelt. The sight alone was enough to cause them to hesitate though in confusion.

Rolling the nodachi around in front of him, Law's hand hit the sword hilt, unsheathing the blade in a single fluid move. With a few quick slashes, the sword was quickly returned to it's place, as several screams of horror echoed out from the Marine's front lines at the discovery they they had been sliced into various halves and quarters. Returning the blade to rest on his shoulder, the Captain raised his hand once more with a cunning smile, wasting little time with what came next. "Shambles."

That was all it took for body parts to begin flying and spinning through the air, much to Rin stunned disbelief. The battlefield was complete chaos. There were bodies mixed up into more combinations than Rin could make sense of. Some solider had to many limbs, while heads and torso were attached randomly in a macabre fashion. Now, she had heard a few stories about individuals with unique powers, those who had consumed the Devil Fruits and gained unbelievable abilities, but at the cost of being unable to swim. However, this was the first time that Rin had ever seen something like this with her own eyes.

Rin wasn't the only one stunned by the sight, the Marine Captain looked on in horror as his men now scrambled in a desperate escape to avoid the same fate as their comrades. "This can't be happening..." Rikard stammered in disbelief, glancing over at his Lieutenant, who was completely frantic at the moment. "Have units two and three move on the square, now!" He barked back as the solider, drawing his attention and watching as the younger man quickly shot for the den den mushi in his coat to relay the orders to the others.

"Blasted pirates." Rikard cursed, drawing his own pistol as he'd turned and moved to take up a new position.

"We've got company." Rin's eyes darted over to the man with black hat with the red pom-pom on top, the yellow brim hiding his eyes, not that she needed to see them to tell where he was directing their attention. Sure enough, the soldiers behind them had started to charge, swords drawn and ready for a fight. With little time to waste, Rin broke from the group and rushed forward, snatching up one of the shackles that had been lying on the ground. As the sword of a Marine swung downward, Rin used the chain to guard against the attack, turning her body to side step towards the solider and driving an elbow into the man's head.

As the soldier recoiled, the young woman's hand went for the blade, prying it from his hand and turning to meet another sword with it, as blade clashed against blade Whipping the shackles around once more, the chain wrapped itself around the Marine's leg and with a quick jerk, snatched the man off his feet and causing him to fall hard onto the ground behind him. Rin continued to push forward, until a loud crack of gunfire cut through the noise of the brawl taking place. At first, the noise alone had caused her to recoil, if only out of instinct. However, no sooner had she begun to move backwards than a sharp, burning pain began to radiate up her side, a sickening familiar feeling.

Her left hand went to her side defensively, withdrawing it only to confirm what she already knew to be true - she'd been shot. The crimson colored stain on her hand looked black in the moonlight, the blood vanishing into the dark material of her coat. Those gold eyes quickly moved to search for the source of the attack, only to be greeted by the familiar white garb of a certain Marine Captain, who now stood only a yard away from her, with the pistol in his hand. A thin trail of smoke still crawled out from the end of the barrel, seeming to deny that anyone else could have pulled the trigger.

Rin was struggling to steady her breathing, despite the burning agony in her side, collapsing onto her right knee as a shout from the two men in white behind hand managed to grab her attention, in their attempt to approach. "Stay back!" She snapped in warning, as those feral colored eyes glared up at the Marine. Rin was no fool, she knew full well that if they got any closer, Rikard wouldn't hesitate to do the same.

"Guess if you want something done, you got to do it yourself. I told you before, as long as I draw breath, none of you are leaving this island alive." The Marine spoke up proudly, allowing the end of the pistol to fall forward, taking clear aim at young woman. At this range, there seemed little doubt that he would miss or that the others could react quickly enough to interrupt again.

Strangely enough though, a twisted smile managed to crawl to Rin's lips, despite the clear amount of pain she must have been in. It was a sight that caused Rikard's brow to furrow as his gaze narrowed on her dangerous. "That next shot better count, Rikard, because I can promise you that if you miss, when I get up from here, I'm going to rip out your throat." Rin warned in a deadly tone, those yellow eyes smiling as the blade in her hand rested against her left side.

A look of surprise, soon turned to a mix of annoyance and disgust at her words, in clear disbelief at the woman's audacity. "Tch! Arrogant to the last." The man growled back coldly, allowing his finger to draw back, squeezing the trigger as a loud crack echoed into the night.

* * *

Cliffhanger!~ This chapter took so long, so I figured I'd end it with a bang - literally! Please be sure to review, favorite, alert, all support appreciated. I've already started writing the next chapter, so it should be out soon.


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